Cycling in Colombia

Landscapes built for cycling

Cycling in Colombia is so popular purely because if you were going to build a country perfect for cyclists, you’d build Colombia. This is one of the reasons why the locals love cycling so much and why the country has consistently produced world-renowned pro riders. In fact, the Tour of Colombia is a WorldTour race. 

Whether you’re based in a thriving city like Medellín or Bogotá and want to get out into the stunning countryside for a day ride or if you’re up for the full-on adventure cycle routes that Colombia has in swathes, it’s the incredible landscape that will draw you onwards. High on the Bogotá savanna, you’ll find endless horizons and gravel and asphalt roads that can carry you hundreds of miles. Pedal from village to village, sampling the street food and drinking buckets of the fantastic local coffee. 

Off the savanna, you can head out on bike rides through Colombia’s exquisite tropical rainforest where you’ll whizz past leaves the size of your wheels and listen to the calls of unseen birds in the canopy. Throw in grasslands, rolling farmland and mountainous terrain and there’s something for every type of cyclist. 

Practicalities of cycling in Colombia

For the most part, Colombia is a relatively safe place to ride and drivers are very used to cyclists being out on the road. Touring and gravel bikes are great companions in the country thanks to the vast number of gravel roads away from major settlements. If you’re based in a city, then a road bike will give you just as much fun. 

In Colombia, you drive (and cycle) on the right side of the road. Street food is excellent and plentiful, and you’re never far from a stand unless you’re somewhere particularly remote. Accommodation is very affordable and usually easy to find even in small towns.

There are no defined seasons in Colombia thanks to its tropical latitude but you’ll experience very different conditions and temperatures depending on where you are in the country. The higher you go, the colder and drier the air will be, with a larger temperature difference between night and day. In the rainforest, it can be very humid. No matter where you ride, take enough water and food supplies.